We know that money can be an issue when you are first starting out - but from our team of industry professional Makeup Artist’s personal experience, your investment towards your future will be the best investment that you have ever made - providing stepping stones for increased revenue for yourself, achieving your career goals, and inspiring others around you.

You’ve taken the first step and made the important commitment to your professional education in the beauty industry and moving forward towards the path to career success. Now what?!

Below, find our 5 best tips (from both our industry team and graduates!) in finding a way to pay (+ pay off quickly!) for your beauty industry course:

Payment Plans

We’ve created easy automatic payment plan options through our PayPal partner to offer to our US based students who need some extra time to budget their course. The payment plans do not require a credit check, all US based students are eligible, and are set up to automatically debit so you don’t have to worry!

You can see the payment plan options for each course (first payment is due upon enrollment):

Flexible payment schedule (automatically debits every 30 days until paid in full).

Longer time to pay (3-4 installments, depending on the course).

No credit check. The payment plan is not a credit card

No approval process - you automatically qualify if you are a US based student.

No interest .

Your kit (if the course includes it) is prepared for shipment with the first payment.

You receive course access and can begin right away with the first payment.

You can pay off early, at anytime - or wait until the plan has finished to receive your certificate (once course is completed).

2. Credit Card, PayPal Credit for Tuition Assistance

While we don’t accept financial aid or federal grants, you can apply for a zero interest or low interest credit card, which will allow you the opportunity to break up your payments in installments that are most convenient for you. These options are out of network (not through the Online Makeup Academy), but are flexible forms of payments that we also accept.

Through our PayPal partner, we also accept PayPal credit as an option to pay for your courses.

Benefits of PayPal credit:

Apply directly through PayPal - find out if you are instantly approved.

Apply your credit to the course payment on checkout (using PayPal credit as the payment option).

If approved, PayPal credit offers 6 months no interest! Break your payment into 6 months and pay zero interest when paid in full by the 6th month (contact PayPal directly for additional details)

All other major credit cards:

We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express), so if you have a low interest or zero interest credit card promotional offer - consider applying and using it to pay for your course!

3. Side Gig

As aspiring artists, we all know and understand the hustle! Sometimes in order to achieve our goals, we need to work just a little bit harder to get there - but in the end, it pays off! Consider taking on a side gig (and maybe even putting your creativity to good use!) by thinking outside of the box with other opportunities to make some extra cash to add to the “Makeup School fund”. Before you know it, you’ll be ready to enroll!

Ideas and options to earn extra funds for makeup school:

Do you have a special skill? Offer your services! Network, search online for open opportunities (depending on the skill - you can find gigs through Craigslist, or local advertisements, or advertise your own services for free [read more below]!).

Showcase your skills online - Fiverr.com and Upwork.com are excellent platforms to start. People who are looking for specific skills search these platforms to hire other creatives. Whether your skill is in editing, writing, selling, graphic design, illustration, blogging, etc. - the opportunities are endless and you decide your own rate!

If your skill is creating more tangible pieces to sell - consider creating your own store on etsy.com - people love handmade art and design, and this is a great way to not only build your creative portfolio and connect with customers, but make extra cash as well!

Do you have clothes/shoes/jewelry that you don’t wear? Consider selling them! Depending on the brands (vintage is super popular especially!) you can sell your pieces yourself on sites like poshmark.com, depop.com, etsy.com (this would be the place for vintage!), ebay.com - or sell to local stores such as Plato’s Closet, Buffalo Exchange, or online at thredup.com.

You can also sell your household items that you no longer use, try Craigslist! Everyone is always looking for something. Remember that saying “one man’s trash is another’s treasure!”.

Take on a part-time job! In many places you can gain some “on the job” experience as you work towards your beauty industry career. Think of places you would love to work (why not also make it an inspiring experience?!), go to the employer, and see what their requirements are - while you may not be able to work at a makeup counter until you earn your credentials (all places will have different requirements! It is important to ask - as you never know!) - you could start in a different department (fragrances or accessories would be a great opportunity at your favorite mall department store) - and work alongside the beauty brands that inspire you. Getting your foot in the door and establishing your network from the start, and earning the extra cash to bring your major goals to fruition!

4. Business Partner / Angel Investor

Do you have a family member, partner, or best friend that loves your creativity and is inspired by you? Don’t be afraid to ask around to see if your main supporters are interested in becoming your partner(s) [yes, why not find more than one?!]! As they will be investing in your career (and essentially becoming a partner in your business - whether they are looking to have this as temporary [repayment] or permanent [you build your business together!], make sure you have clear terms and a contract for repayment (or the agreement and expectations you have decided on).

Another way of approaching your supporters who are committed to your career goals and have essentially invested in you, is also offering your services as part of the payback “perks”. You will be needing to complete your assignments (which means applying the makeup looks that you have learned and practicing on others!), so what better way to have those who believe the most in your skills receive the benefits of their support?!

You can offer your services for free and/or complementary certificates (or discounted certificates) for makeup application to those who have invested in your career and allowed you the option to pursue your professional education! It’s the best of both worlds - for you and them!

5. Save

Always the simplest option (but sometimes we just don’t think it is possible when life’s expenses get in the way!). Trust us, saving is absolutely possible - you just need to set a budget, and before you know it, you’ll be on your way to paying your courses in full with your added savings (and making extra money as you launch your professional career!).

Eliminate unnecessary expenses (eating out, the extra drinks, coffees, teas, etc!) you would be surprised how quickly it adds up. Set what you would have paid for these items aside into your “makeup school fund” and we bet you’ll have the cash to start sooner than later!

Budget to figure out based on your paycheck what you could afford to “save” (even if it is a few dollars each paycheck, it adds up!). Commit to this - you will feel great once that savings has turned into your ability to pay for the course, and this small investment will provide the opportunity to receive payback for your commitment, ten fold!

We know that you probably want to start as quickly as possible, so saving sounds like the last resort option - but we know you won’t be disappointed. If you commit to your career, the time will pass quicker than expected and before you know it you’ll be able to begin! Not to worry - we aren’t going anywhere, and we will be here waiting for you when you are ready to begin!

Now that you’ve read our 5 top tip suggestions (provided to us by our team and graduates!) read further for a personal graduate case-study, on how they were able to make the investment in their career, and the almost immediate pay-off:

“I was so happy to have found OMA - and after doing my research, decided it was everything I needed to begin my career. I knew I needed an online school with flexible scheduling, and most importantly, industry artists who could provide the mentorship and confidence to build my business and work with clients professionally. The only problem? Money. I did not have the money to join the Master Makeup Artist course, and even with the payment plan option, it wasn’t something I could afford outright. I really wanted to begin now (I’m not patient, when I put my mind to something I want to get it done!) - so I asked around to those who have always told me “your makeup is amazing, you should really be a makeup artist!”.

What could they say?! I thought the worse they could tell me was “no” (and trust me, several friends were in the same position as me and could only offer their support!), but I found a few family members and close friends who came together in my support, and I was able to essentially set up an extended “payment plan” with them - as they provided the initial investment to enroll.

Their perks? They got to be my model as I worked on my professional portfolio - and because I already had my portfolio and website complete after graduation, I was instantly ready to take on paying clients after earning my certificate! In just a few months (and 5 clients later), I had already paid off half of the investment to my partners. Within the year, I was able to secure another 8 clients which not only paid off the remaining course cost to those who invested in my education, but provided a small savings of my own (newly created) business account.

If I never stepped outside of my comfort zone, I would have never known the support within my community - and now I am known as the “go-to” Makeup Artist for all events! So grateful for their support and taking a leap of faith in my education and business.” - Jessica, OMA Graduate 2018 + Master Makeup Artist

As you can see based on the case study above and real-life experiences on financing beauty school, when there is a will, there is always a way! Consider taking the next steps towards your professional career by committing to your investment, and you will be equally rewarded. We will always be here for you every step of the way!

Polina P is a professional freelance Makeup Artist, working with private clients in Baltimore, Maryland USA. Polina shares her talents worldwide through her social media platforms in creative makeup, featuring one of a kind eye and lip pairings to complete inspirational beauty looks for her 60k+ followers on Instagram + YouTube. She never repeats her creative looks and always shares mini-tutorials on how to achieve these captivating techniques with her followers. Polina is truly a master in detailed, wearable, yet intriguing bold beauty looks, but is also a highly sought after freelance Makeup Artist with a focus in stunning soft, natural, and perfect bridal makeup looks for her lucky clients!

Polina first began her Makeup Artist training through a Master Class with the world famous Makeup By Mario, notably known for celebrity clientele, including a favorite amongst beauty influencers, Kim Kardashian. She started her YouTube + Instagram pages to begin sharing her stunning artistry - this is how we had the pleasure to connect with her. Polina reviewed our Essential Makeup Artist kit and went on to completing our Makeup Artist course, earning her second certification with us at the Online Makeup Academy.

We loved Polina’s work and continued a collaboration where Polina was featured as our guest blogger, writing many of our top articles (check out more of the blog page for some amazing professional tips on brushes, makeup application, and more - all written by Polina exclusively for the Online Makeup Academy!).

As she continues to build her brand as a beauty influencer others have also taken notice, she also partners with Cargo Cosmetics as a Beauty Ambassador, and many other brands look to her for collaboration.

Check out Polina’s video below of our (original) Essential makeup kit review and Essential Makeup Artist course review, some of our favorite makeup looks by her, and be sure to follow her YouTube channel and Instagram @makeupbypolinap for more inspiration, tips, and tricks.

We love Polina’s educational story, and hope it will inspire others to reach for the stars!

Remember, creating an Instagram (and/or YouTube) focused business page where you can consistently share content, professional style images, and can provide a unique point of view to your followers will be the best form of promotion that you can build in this current digital age of social media. Focus on building your own individual brand identity, sharing your view and techniques as you begin to build your career - this will help lead you towards the path for continued success (and you will connect with a great community of like minded artists along the way)!

If you are thinking about makeup artistry as your full-time job sooner or later you will come to the point that you have to invest in your education. You can be a self-taught Makeup Artist of course, but becoming a Certified Makeup Artist will likely increase your chances of being hired, as you will have the background of a professional education, which is a great benefit in every profession.

You may think that if you buy all expensive makeup products including brushes and watch YouTube videos you will be knowledgeable enough to do other people’s faces, but in most cases, you will be wrong. The artistry of makeup application on a professional level is much more complex. You have to know the basics, the important foundation of any artist; what brush to use for a certain product, how to apply a specific makeup product depending on the look you are going to create, etc. Some people are able to learn everything by themselves but it will take them much more time and effort as they will not know where to start, what aspects to learn, etc. Other people need somebody to teach them and to guide them on their way.

Attending a professional makeup school will be your best option in this situation. Makeup Artistry is not a licensed profession in most of the states in the USA which makes it easier to get into, but 9 of 10 clients will ask you if you are educated. Having a Certificate from a well-known and prestigious Makeup School will be to your benefit when you begin to book those jobs.

It is only since a couple of decades ago when makeup schools started to establish everywhere, especially in big cities, so it may be hard to make a decision which one to choose. Do your research!

Every school will offer you different courses and specialize in different aspects of makeup artistry education due to the fact that there is no particular curriculum to follow, as you are getting a certificate, not a license, after completion. Some schools will offer you makeup basics and classic makeup looks only, while others will also teach you how to create makeup looks for editorial photo shoots, how to be creative with your looks, what to take into account while doing other people’s makeup, makeup for movies, or give you advice on how to find clients and how to expand your business, etc. You will have to stop and think what is most important to you, and to be sure of your career goals which will help guide you in which course to choose before enrolling.

Choosing the right school may get more complicated if you work at the moment or you are going to school as in person classes and a regulated schedule may not work for you, or perhaps there are no schools in your area that actually teach makeup artistry. A huge benefit to this is the option of selecting online makeup courses. You may think that learning professional makeup application online is not an option at all, that it is impossible to learn how to do someone’s face by watching videos; the truth is that it is possible and it may be sometimes even a better option than in person makeup school.

Here are some benefits (and comparisons to attending online vs. an in person makeup school):

1. Accessibility. You can access the course whenever you want or have time on learning and practicing. You can do it even on the go on your tablet or smartphone. While at in person makeup school you will be taught only according to the schedule which sometimes may not be suitable for you. You may get nervous that you had to get a vacation to take these classes instead of going to the ocean, or you left your work earlier to make it to the class and are always in a hurry trying to be on time, and in this case it is hard to concentrate on learning something new as you will be distracted.

2. Ability to stop, pause or replay videos anytime you need. It is one of the best benefits of the online makeup course as if you didn’t get something you have the opportunity to always go back and see it again. While at in person school if you put off the class by any reason or just didn’t understand something, or was distracted by something, as some people may find it hard to concentrate their attention during the whole class which may take 4-5 hours, it is harder to catch up, you will have to ask your instructor to repeat and it may make you feel uncomfortable in front of other students asking anything.

3. You complete assignments at your own pace. It is much easier for everyone to complete lessons with their own speed not having to look at other students and compare yourself to them. You are doing everything in accordance with yourself. At in person makeup school everyone will have to keep up with the group and the schedule which may bring pressure as well as some material may not be well understood.

4. Online makeup course is usually much less expensive. While in person makeup school course tuition may include the price of materials, room, books, photoshoot opportunities, etc. you also have to take into account your lunch or travel expenses, which in all can total to a huge amount of money. Online makeup courses are available completely online, you can download any necessary paper materials, and save money traveling.

5. One on one instruction with your teacher/tutor. Some of us will understand the information that instructor is sharing with them from the beginning while others need more explanation as well as time to absorb this information. Everyone comes to the school at their own level of knowledge and experience which may be inconvenient for some students. So it will bring you more comfort if you can ask questions one on one to your instructor, as you may be intimidated for any reason to ask them in the group. Taking an online course won’t mean that you will be all by yourself, your teacher will always be there for you, and you will definitely be able to communicate or share your thoughts with other students or ask questions, as these courses usually provide room for communication under lessons videos where you can chat.

6. Practice on a model may be more convenient when you have a one on one session with them while completing home assignments and you have enough time which is not limited by the class schedule. Or maybe you would like to excel in the course, and you would need more than one client to master a certain makeup look which is not possible during the classes at “in person’ makeup school. No one has the opportunity to wait for every student to complete a certain look in person, as you are learning as a group, not on an individual one on one basis.

These are some of the true benefits of choosing an online makeup course; you may find even more for yourself when researching what is right for you! Ultimately, you will have to decide what is the best method of education for you and your way of learning – in person education if available to you, may be a benefit if you have the free time, flexible schedule, and money to invest and prefer having a regulated schedule of learning that requires you to attend classes. Online courses offer the same benefits as an in person school and education but ultimately will offer more flexibility, at times closer communication with your instructors, and the benefit of learning no matter your location throughout the world!

When you are beginning your career as a professional Makeup Artist, and completing your training with a makeup school, you’ll hear and read a lot about improving your technique (with good reason!). This drive and desire to improve should carry on with you well beyond your completion of your studies, as a Makeup Artist there is always room to learn, and always new techniques to improve on and even ways to find a more efficient way of executing a certain look that you already know.

The way that you execute and improve your individual techniques, is entirely up to you as the artist, however there are quite a few methods that can increase your productivity and help you to be the best Makeup Artist that you can be!

1. Practice

There is nothing that will help you more than practice. Practicing on yourself, your family and friends, and eventually models will allow you to establish a variety of different techniques which will become second nature. It’s all about trying a look on different faces, eye shapes and skin types. Only after you feel comfortable with doing a look on a multitude of faces, can you say that you are on the right track to mastering a technique. This way, once you show up at a professional job, there will not be room for error.

2. Experiment

Yes, practice is the base, but experimentation will take your artistry to the next level. We are not just talking about experimenting with colors and playing around with individual techniques to make them your own, but also about trying different professional products and tools. You’ll never know what one new tool will replace two others in your kit and make your life that much easier. It’s also about what tool or type of brush you feel most comfortable executing a certain style with. What feels best in your hands is based upon individual preference; a truly successful Makeup Artist will figure out their own unique way of doing things through experimentation.

3. Read

This might sound like we are taking you back to school, but there are a few classic makeup books (and a variety of material available online!) that you’d be amazed at how much they can teach you on techniques. You’ll find loads of tips and how to’s that you might not have heard of before! A favorite makeup book is hands down Kevyn Aucoin's Making Faces. This bookis a must have for aspiring Makeup Artists who are looking to learn the fundamental basics of beauty. Even if it was written in 1997, the steps here are still very useful and incredibly applicable today – classic beauty techniques never change! You'll find applications and techniques in this book, but also a lot of ways to create a variety of looks.

Some additional books that are recommended are Bobbi Brown’s Makeup Manual, Beauty and Living Beauty, this book will help you with executing a perfect natural makeup technique.

4. Go Online

Thanks to today’s trends and society, we literally have access to everything by just the click of a button - millions of makeup tutorials, articles, and inspiration pictures are at your fingertips. As a professional Makeup Artist you should consistently research new how to’s, trends, and innovations. Another incredible option is to browse through archives of old runway shows to view the makeup, and become inspired by the world of fashion, which is so closely intertwined with Makeup Artistry!

5. Keep Records

To see the progress in your work, always keep a record of the beauty looks you have tried. It is always a good idea to take a before and after picture. This way, after a while, you can go back and see what worked and what didn’t. Trust us, it is so much fun to go back and see how much your technique has improved! Sometimes you will not recognize your own work, and that’s the confidence boost you may need to practice more and more, and the encouragement to continuously strive to improve!

6. Always Go Back to Basics

This might seem useless as you go further in your career, but going back to the basics might truly be the best option. In makeup education, it is all about the foundation, what you learn and establish at the beginning of your journey. So whenever you feel like learning, consider going back to the beginning, watch tutorials and techniques that you learned ages ago, you may pick up something (with your added experience!) that you didn’t notice before! After you have had some experience, you’ll see these “basic” techniques with a much different eye, and this will bring another layer to your Makeup Artistry execution.

Improving your technique is about hard work and dedication. It is also about your desire to become better. Realistically, there is no such thing as perfection, but you should be aiming to be the best that you can be at all times. Take out your kit, find your inspiration and aim to become the best makeup artist out there. Oh and quick tip: don’t forget to have fun while at it!